CambridgeEssayObservationsfromMr.

MarcLim
General topics that appear to be mainstays: (i) the value of culture and the arts; (ii) the detrimental effects of science and technology; (iii) the role of the state and politicians; (iv) environmental issues such as global warming, carbon footprint and waste; (v) world issues such as poverty, international relations, developed vs developing worlds; (vi) the importance or value of abstract concepts and phenomena (religion, dreams, design) Specific topics that recur every 2-3 years: (a) history, tradition and the past; (b) advertising; (c) magazines, films and television programmes; (d) books, museums and cultural mediums; (e) mathematics and statistics; (f) sports and sporting events; (g) modern / city life; (h) business and economics; (i) responsibility for ones health. It is worthwhile to practise questions from past year papers; they persistently recur. Who would have thought that mathematics would make a reappearance in 2010? Just as remarkably, politicians featured in both the 2009 and 2010 papers, as did technology. Religion consecutively appeared in 2008 and 2009. Singapore-specific questions appear to have been introduced in 2003 and have made a constant appearance ever since with social, cultural and economic foci. The paper has become increasingly issue-specific and issue-focused. Where the November 2000 paper requires deliberation on the pursuit of wealth or pets, the 2010 paper begs awareness or even grasp of current affairs. Taking the crimes against humanity question as an example, the student must know about the International Crime Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and its prosecution of Radovan Karadi in 2008 (when the paper was set). Students who kept up with their reading in 2010 would also be able to cite the sentencing of Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch (Kaing Guek Eav) for crimes against humanity. A substantial number of students misinterpreted the question as one about crime in general. A well-read student would have immediately understood crimes against humanity to refer to war crimes (such as genocide) or other large-scale violations, rather than petty theft, outrage of modesty or even serial killing. Content knowledge and evidence really matter. In the absence of genius, try, try, try. Cambridge examiners have communicated to the local teaching community that sheer relevance and rigour of content would be duly rewarded.

Marc Kenji Lim

CambridgeQuestionsOrganizedAccordingto Topic
AbstractIssues 1. Gossip is never harmless. Do you agree? (1993) 2. The truth should always be told, whatever the cost. Should it? (1993) 3. Should promises always be kept? (1995) 4. Should human beings look forward to the next century more with optimism than pessimism? (1997) 5. Do arguments ever settle anything? (1999) 6. Being in fashion makes a person popular; being different makes a person special. Discuss. (1999) 7. In the modern world, image is everything. Discuss. (2000) 8. Idealism brings disillusionment; realism brings results. Discuss. (2000) 9. Discuss the appeal, and dangers, of attempting to predict the future. (2001) 10. History can never be anything more than an intelligent guess at what the past was like. The reality is inevitably lost forever. Do you agree? (2001) 11. Does a study of history make you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the human race? (2001) 12. Statistics measure everything but prove nothing. Discuss. (2003) 13. Do the past and present offer any guidance for the future? (2004) 14. There is no such thing as luck. People determine their own lives. Do you agree? (2005) 15. Do myths and legends still have a role to play in Singapore? (2006) 16. Can a belief in the supernatural be sustained in our modern world? (2007) 17. How important is a sense of history in shaping the future of Singapores society? (2007) 18. How important are dreams? (2008) 19. To what extent is design important in your society? (2008) 20. Discuss the view that too much faith is placed in statistics. (2008) 21. Fashion is as much a good thing as a bad thing. To what extent do you agree? (2009)

22. History records male acts, written by males, and holds little interest for females as a result. Is this a fair comment? (2009) 23. Can mathematics be seen as anything more than a useful tool in everyday life? (2010) 24. How important is it for people in your society to retain a sense of tradition? (2010) Arts, Cultureand the Media 1. Public money should not be wasted on the arts; they should support themselves. Discuss. (2000) 2. A film has one purpose - to entertain. Using examples, consider this view. (2001) 3. A work of art can never be valued just in financial terms. Discuss. (2002) 4. Does the book still have a future? (2003) 5. Discuss the appeal and value of fantasy stories and films. (2004) 6. Do the arts, such as music and literature, really play a significant part in Singaporean society? (2005) 7. A picture is always more powerful than mere words. What is your view? (2006) 8. The pen is mightier than the sword. Can written language really be so powerful? (2007) 9. The arts cannot change the world, but they can make it more beautiful. Discuss this view with reference to one of the following: painting, sculpture or music. (2007) 10. Contemporary music has no artistic value. Is this a fair comment? (2008) 11. Nowadays, the pleasures of reading can never compete with the pleasures of visual entertainment. (2008) 12. Are certain types of writing superior to others? (2009) 13. Would it matter if all the performing arts venues in your society, such as concert halls and theatres, were closed down? (2010) 14. The book has no place in modern society. Discuss. (2010) 15. Should advertising be restricted in any way? (2001) 16. Can the media ever be relied upon to convey the truth? (2003) 17. Advertising encourages a desire for products which people do not actually need. Discuss. (2004) 18. How far do magazines or television programmes aimed at young people in Singapore have a positive effect? (2005) 19. To what extent do the newspapers and magazines that you read deal with what is trivial, rather than what is important? (2006)
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Marc Kenji Lim

20. Advertisements are often entertaining, but they rarely affect consumer choice. Is this your experience? (2007) 21. Assess the impact of foreign films or foreign TV programmes on the culture of your society. (2009)

Scienceand Technology 1. Science never provides solutions - it only poses more questions. Is this a fair comment? (2000) 2. Computers and mobile phones have made us all worse at talking to one another, not better! What do you think? (2001) 3. Science and religion will always conflict. Discuss. (2002) 4. Should medical science always seek to prolong life? (2003) 5. Does the modern world place too much reliance on technology? (2003) 6. How inventions and discoveries are used is not the concern of the scientist. Do you agree? (2004) 7. Is effective farming possible without science? (2005) 8. Medical science has been so successful that people now expect too much of it. Discuss. (2005) 9. Does modern technology always improve the quality of peoples lives? (2006) 10. Should research into expensive medical treatments be allowed when only a few can afford them? (2007) 11. The more science advances, the more religion will decline. To what extent do you agree? (2008) 12. Should every country have the right to carry out unlimited scientific research? (2009) 13. To what extent has technology had an impact on both privacy and security in your country? (2009) 14. To what extent has technology had a negative impact on the skill levels of people? (2010)

Marc Kenji Lim

Globalisation,InternationalRelationsandthe Environment 1.Discuss the extent to which global and national interests can be balanced. (2001) 2.In what ways does a country both benefit and suffer from where it is situated? (2001) 3.Can small countries have a significant voice in world affairs? (2004) 4.The tourist does not see the country the inhabitants know. How far is this true of Singapore? (2005) 5.National boundaries make little geographical or economic sense nowadays. Discuss. (2006) 6.The world would be a better place if everyone spoke the same language. Discuss. (2006) 7.Should poorer countries develop their tourist industry when the basic needs of their own people are not being met? (2007) 8.Does the presence of a foreign power ever help a country with problems? (2008) 9.How far do physical features, such as size and location, determine a countrys progress? (2008) 10.To what extent does the migration of people have a positive effect? (2008) 11.Should a love of ones country still be encouraged? (2009) 12.Assess the impact of foreign films or foreign TV programmes on the culture of your society. (2009) 13.Examine the claim that the world is too dependent on oil. (2000) 14.Is it possible to protect the environment when many countries require increasing amounts of energy to progress? (2007) 15.Air travel creates more problems than benefits. Is this a fair comment? (2002) 16.Air travel should be discouraged, not promoted. To what extent do you agree? (2008) 17.Can the transport of food over vast distances be justified? (2009) 18.Is the elimination of global poverty a realistic aim? (2009) 19.How effective are international efforts to ease the problem of global hunger? (2010)

Social and SocioPolitical Issues 1.The family has suffered at the expense of career in Singaporean society. Is this a fair comment? (2003) 2.To what extent are the young in Singapore favoured at the expense of the elderly? (2004) 3.Are the poor an inevitable feature of any society? (2004) 4.How far can the needs of minorities be met in modern Singapore? (2004) 5.Women will never enjoy the same rights as men. Do you agree? (2006) 6.Many developed countries are paying increasing attention to the ends of the disadvantaged. How far is this true in Singapore? (2008) 7.Is there still a place for charity in todays world? (2006) 8.The person who dies rich dies disgraced. Discuss. (2010) 9.Is personal morality the concern of the State? (1996) 10.How far should religion influence political decisions? (2010) 11.Only educated people should have the right to vote in elections. What is your view? (2009) 12.A good leader must always look beyond the needs of his or her country. Do you agree? (2003) 13.People, not the government, should decide how to organise their lives. Is this a fair comment? (2004) 14.To what extent do young people in your society take an interest in politics? (2006) 15.How far should a state have a right to monitor the actions of people within its borders? (2007) 16.The view of the majority is always right. Do you agree? (2007) 17.As long as people in the public eye do their job well, does it matter what they do in private? 18.No politicians reputation can survive the judgement of time. How true is this? (2010) 19.If people become ill it is largely their own fault. How far do you agree? (2002) 20.How far do you agree that health is the responsibility of the state, not of the individual? (2000) 21.The key to good health is lifestyle rather than medicine. How far do you agree? (2010) 22.The word failure should never be used in education. Discuss. (2007) 23.Conformity should be the main aim of all schools. How far is this true? (2002)

Marc Kenji Lim

ModernLifestyles,WorkandBusiness 1.Do you agree that city life is becoming increasingly unattractive? (2002) 2.Instead of speeding up the pace of life, we should be slowing it down. What do you think? (2005) 3.To what extent are small businesses preferable to large ones? (2003) 4.Have multi-national businesses had a positive or negative impact on your society? (2004) 5.To what extent should the State involve itself in the world of business? (2005) 6.Consider the view that most work these days could, and should, be done from home. (2010)

CrimeandPunishment 1.Too much attention is given to criminals; not enough to their victims. Is this true? (2005) 2.How far can an individual be held responsible for crimes against humanity? (2010)

Sport 1.Is sport too closely linked to money these days? (2001) 2.Hosting major sporting events creates more problems than benefits. Do you agree? (2005) 3.Does sport merit the vast sums of money that are spent on it? (2010)

CJC Mid-Year Papers 2006-2010

CJC Mid-Year 2006 1. The world has become smaller but not closer. To what extent do you agree with this statement? 2. Have science and technology worsened the plight of the poor? 3. Do we need a world government? 4. The environment must be sacrificed for progress. How far would you agree with this statement? 5. Business ethics is a contradiction in terms. Do you agree? 6. Celebrities do not deserve the attention and money they get. Discuss. 7. Is a sports career worth pursuing in your country? 8. Humankind cannot live without stories. Comment. 9. Is there a role for tradition in society today? 10. If youth knew; if age could. (Henri Estienne) Comment. 11. Should one always be encouraged to take risks? 12. Adversity is always a great teacher. Discuss.

Marc Kenji Lim

CJC Mid-Year 2007 1. How far do you agree that terrorists should be pitied, not hated? 2. An effective government requires a free press. Do you agree? 3. Human life and dignity are sacrosanct. Do you agree that this principle is overemphasised today? 4. Environmental conservation is more important than economic development today. Discuss. 5. Women do not need equality today. Men do. What are your views? 6. Globalisation privileges the rich more than the poor. How far is this true? 7. To what extent should the decision to get married be an individual choice? 8. Do people rely too much on medical science for the ills of life? 9. Should extreme sports be banned? 10. The stumbling block for young people is their sense of hopelessness. To what extent is this true with regard to Singaporean youth today? 11. Are museums still important in modern society? 12. Why write?

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CJC Mid-Year 2008 1. Terrorists are nothing more than criminals. Discuss. 2. Efforts made to protect our environment today are mere symbolic gestures. How far do you agree with this view? 3. Rising commodity prices are posing a grave threat to world peace. Discuss. 4. The individual today is powerless in protecting his right to privacy. How far would you agree with this statement? 5. How far do you agree that having children is just another lifestyle choice? 6. To what extent would you agree that Singapore is fast becoming a seeking society? 7. Uninspired. Is this a fair assessment of youths today? 8. A university education is becoming increasingly irrelevant to success. Comment. 9. The world is shrinking fast, but not necessarily coming together. Discuss. 10. Entertainment over information. To what extent is this true of the mass media in your society? 11. History makes a mockery of the very idea of truth. Discuss. 12. Music is meant primarily for the individuals private enjoyment. Discuss. pleasure-

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Marc Kenji Lim

CJC Mid-year 2009 1. Violence to end violence. Is this the solution to conflicts? 2. In spite of more information, man is not more informed. Comment. 3. Discuss the value of doubt in modern society. 4. Morality hampers the progress of science. Do you agree? 5. Is discrimination against women still a global problem today? 6. Technology is the future of sport. Discuss. 7. Discuss the value and appeal of gossip. 8. The common man is the true power behind any government. Do you agree? 9. Discuss the importance of water in the world today. 10. Singapore needs to be a nation of tree-huggers and bird-kissers. To what extent do you agree? 11. Reading fiction has no real value except for its entertainment purposes. Is this a fair comment? 12. Life is about survival of the fittest. Discuss.

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CJC Mid-Year 2010 1. Is it true that multi-national corporations have too much power in the world today? 2. How desirable is a sense of history in your society? 3. Sport divides more than it unites. What is your view? 4. Will the Internet bring freedom to oppressed people? 5. The best government is the least government. Discuss. 6. Is advertising always misleading? 7. Consider the value of idleness. 8. Scientific research should know no bounds. Discuss. 9. 10. 11. 12. Is equality a beneficial goal for a society? Is asking questions more important than finding answers? More choice is not always better. Discuss. Is it possible to lead a simple life today?

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Marc Kenji Lim

CJC PRELIM 2005

1) Make poverty history. Is this a realistic aim? 2) No country is an island. How successful is your country in maintaining ties with other countries? 3) Discuss the appeal and the dangers of alternative methods of healing. 4) Why is it important for the Press to be free? 5) Account for the popularity of animated films. 6) Do rituals serve any useful purpose in a modern society? 7) Reading fiction has nothing to do with real life. Do you agree? 8) Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. Is this true of the arts? 9) Integrity is no longer the key to success. Discuss. 10) Are parents today becoming redundant? 11) Education now is all about economic survival in the future. To what extent is this true? 12) Above all, be true to yourself. How relevant is this advice to youths of your country today?

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CJC PRELIM 2006

1) Does the education in your country prepare you for global competition? 2) Men and women ought to maintain separate and clearly differentiated roles in todays society. How far do you agree with this statement? 3) Has technology changed the way we do business? 4) Might is right. Is this true of contemporary politics? 5) It is better to be a pragmatist than an idealist. Discuss. 6) What, in your opinion, are some injustices in the world that have not been adequately addressed? 7) How important is it to protect intellectual property? 8) How do we keep our youth rooted to Singapore? 9) How far do you agree that the war on terrorism can never be won? 10) Creativity cannot be nurtured. Do you agree? 11) Music today is just packaged noise. Discuss. 12) In your opinion, is the goal of avoiding ecological disaster hopeless?

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Marc Kenji Lim

CJC PRELIM 2007

1) The greater aim of education is action, not knowledge. How far do you agree with this view? 2) Cities are losing their distinctive cultural flavour. Is this necessarily bad? 3) Todays youths are conditioned to be apathetic. How accurate is this description of your society? 4) To what extent is the simple life desirable and achievable today? 5) Modern science and technology is the servant of profit, not the servant of human need. Comment. 6) Examine the value of colour in everyday life. 7) The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. (Kenneth Blanchard) Discuss. 8) Should every society treat its members better than non-members? 9) Is vegetarianism just a fad? 10) Account for the growing importance of Non-Governmental Organizations today. 11) Is there really a need for artistic expression to be regulated? 12) Singaporeans have forgotten how to wait. How far is this a cause for concern?

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CJC PRELIM 2008

1. A good leader must be a good follower. Is this necessarily true? 2. Affluence is as much a curse as a blessing. Discuss. 3. Housing and jobs over freedom and liberty. Is this good advice for good governance? 4. Does education necessarily liberate one? 5. The main benefits of science have been material comforts and longer life. Do you agree? 6. The only way to deal with a criminal is to remove him from society. Discuss. 7. Is censorship becoming increasingly necessary in todays world? 8. The mark of a civilised society is how they treat their elderly. How far do you agree? 9. Do you agree that the problems of poverty can only get worse in the current climate? 10. Should sports stars be paid obscene amounts of money? 11. Is there a real need to cultivate a love for the arts in your society? 12. Heal the world. (Michael Jackson) Can this be done?

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Marc Kenji Lim

CJC PRELIM 2009

1. Can your generation appreciate the fine arts? 2. Would you agree that foreign aid to poor countries is a necessary evil? 3. Progress is more important than tradition. Do you agree? 4. The essence of happiness lies in the pursuit rather than in its fulfillment. Discuss 5. What is my life if I am no longer useful to others? (Goethe) Do you agree that this is the primary value of a human being? 6. Are we a nation yet? I would not say we are. (MM Lee, 2009) Do you agree that Singapore is truly a nation? 7. More conversation is not going to lead to more conservation. Is this an accurate depiction of the fight against environmental damage? 8. Discuss the view that too much faith is placed in science. 9. A weapon of the masses. To what extent do the media empower the people? 10. Politics is not about money. It is about trying to do right. What do you think? 11. Discuss the value of dissent in your society.

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12. A marriage is a divorce in waiting. Do you agree with this view of marriage today?

CJC PRELIM 2010

1. Small country, small minds. Is this a fair assessment of Singaporeans? 2. 3. Only the best and brightest should have the right to have children. What are your views? The mass media is nothing but a profit-making machine. Evaluate this claim.

4. How far is society responsible for the crimes of its people? 5. Every generation of youth is characterised by the need to rebel. How far does this statement reflect your generation? 6. Men are as much the victims of traditional gender roles as women. Comment. 7. Those who allow themselves to be governed like sheep will eventually be ruled by wolves. In the light of this statement, what is the value of political dissent? 8. Success breeds success. What are your views? 9. The world will be a better place without religion. Discuss. 10. Art should not offend. To what extent do you agree with this statement? 11. Technology has created a culture of convenience. Is this more a blessing than a curse? 12. How far have examinations undermined the essential aims of education today?
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